Shanghai ready to ditch F1 race from 2011?

Shanghai officials have put on thinking caps to decide on the future of grand prix racing. Break-even looks unlikely among mixed response for F1 in the region. The current contract costs as much as $50m a year and runs until 2010.

“We’re doing the assessment. By next year, we should be able to give you the answer,” Qiu Weichang, the deputy director of the Shanghai Administration of Sports, told AFP. “We want to create a win-win situation, for our side and for Bernie [Ecclestone] and the F1 organisers as well. If this is something we can do, and our co-operation is very happy and smooth, we will consider it. Of course we would like at least to break even. But there are two factors – one is the assessment; the other part is the win-win situation that we can create.” – Qiu Weichang, deputy director of the Shanghai Administration of Sports:

China dropping the race would mean the benefits of hosting the race do not really outweigh the cost associated with it and send a message to new players.

Thinking on the same lines i wonder whether proposed Indian GP will be a profitable idea? Rates of Tickets are controlled by FOM which are exhorbitant. Will Indians turn up in great numbers to see a race?